Mid - year applicationfor a primary, infant orjunior school place

2 Mid-Year Application for a Primary, Infant or Junior School Place

Why have I been given this form?

The form is designed to help you find a school place for your child by getting the Local Authority to apply for school places on your behalf. It should be used to apply for a place at any infant, junior or primary school of your preference in Essex (excluding private schools).

Changing Schools

Changing schools is a serious step to take, so before applying please discuss the reasons for your request with your child’s current Headteacher. You should not remove your child from their current school before securing a place at another school.

Applications for transfer at the start of the next academic year will not be dealt with until the half term prior to the requested admission date. In cases where a child moves into a new district area and, as a result of the move, the child would be without a school place the application will be dealt with immediately.

Applications received during the school holidays

School Planning and Admissions needs to exchange information with schools before a decision can be made, so where applications are received shortly before or during school holidays we cannot guarantee that decisions will be made in time for your child to start a new school immediately after the holidays.

Your child’s current school may be advised of your transfer request.

Admission of children from overseas

For UK/EU citizens overseas, or where the last school was overseas, you need to provide a copy of the passport to prove that the child is a UK/EU citizen. For non-EU citizens the child must be in the UK before we can process the application and proof of residency such as endorsed (stamped)

| Informationpassport or entry visa will be required with the application.

What should I do next?

You should complete the form and send it to School Planning and Admissions who will apply to the schools you list on your behalf.

Some schools, such as voluntary aided church schools and some foundation schools require completion of an additional form, a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) in order for them to be able to apply their admissions policy. You can check whether the schools you are applying for require a SIF by either contacting them directly, or by checking on the School Admissions website at www.essex.gov.uk/admissions and selecting the relevant school’s information or with the School Planning and Admissions team. If a SIF does need to be completed, then it must be sent to the individual school concerned directly, and not to School Planning and Admissions. The mid year application form attached to these notes of guidance must, however, be sent into School Planning and Admissions.

If you need further information about schools in your area you should read the booklet ‘Primary Education in Essex’ in conjunction with the Schools’ Admission Policies Directory for your area. If you do not have copies they are available on the Essex County Council web site (see contact details) or phone Contact Essex 0845 603 2200 to be sent copies.

What happens after I have sent in a form?

School Planning and Admissions will contact all the schools that you list and if there is a space available will offer you a place on behalf of the school by sending you an offer letter. This will be the highest of your preferences that can be met. The letter will also confirm the refusal of a place when schools have no space.

3 Information

You have the right to appeal to an independent panel for a place at any school for which you apply and are refused a place. Details about the appeal process can be found on the School Admissions website at www.essex.gov.uk/admissions.

If you have moved into the area and none of the schools on your list of preferences have a space we will find the nearest school within a reasonable travelling distance of the child’s home with a space and offer you a place at that school.

If your child already has a place in the area and there are no places at the schools on your list, we will not be able to offer an alternative school.

School transport

Essex County Council provides free school transport for:

• children up to the age of 8 (end of Year 3) who live at least 2 miles away from, and attend, their designated local infant, junior or primary school.

• children over the age of 8 (Year 4 onward) who live at least 3 miles away from, and attend, their designated local junior or primary school.

Free school transport is also provided to pupils who have a place at a school that is closer than their designated school, measured by the nearest road route, but still meets the qualifying distance. This also applies to places at denominational schools that are closer than the designated school.

The right to free home to school transport was extended to :

• children aged 8 or over (year 4 onwards) who are entitled to free school meals or have a household income below £16,190 before deductions, where they are attending their nearest qualifying school as determined by the Local Authority and they reside over 2 miles from that school. In these circumstances entitlement will be reviewed each year.

• children residing at least 2 miles away from and attending, their designated faith school, where the family are entitled to free school meals or have a household income below £16,190 before deductions. Please note that the child must be baptised into the faith of that school or provide other evidence of that faith. In these circumstances entitlement will be reviewed every year.

| Information continued

4Notes of Guidance

Section 1 - Pupil Details• Pupil surname and first name(s) – the names by which your child is legally known.• Gender – some names are unisex and it is helpful if we can record male or female on our database.• Current school (or last school attended) – the name of the school, town and postcode where your child is currently on roll or the last school they attended. If your child is being home educated please enter “home educated”.

Section 2 - Home Address We can only process the application from one address. The home address is considered to be the address at which your child resides on a permanent basis or is ‘ordinarily resident’. This is generally the address of the parent/carer. In all cases we expect that the adult with whom your child is ‘ordinarily resident’ receives the child benefit for the child. If your child lives at a different address from you or another parent/carer for the majority of the school week please provide the Parental Responsibility Order or Residence Order for the person the child lives with. Alternatively both parents/carers should declare this in a letter sent with the application. If the address is disputed then the address of the parent/carer who claims the child benefit/child tax credit will be considered as the main residence.

Some foundation, voluntary aided schools and Academies may have different rules on home address. If in doubt, you should check with each individual school.

Section 3 - Parent/Carer DetailsPlease provide the name of the parent/carer with whom your child lives at the home address on the application form. If you are not the parent of the child please provide evidence that you have parental responsibility.

Section 4 - Moving housea) Preferred date of admission – the date on which

| Notes of Guidance

you wish your child to start at the school.

b) Date of move to the area – please provide the date on which you will be moving into the area.

New Address – If you are moving to the area please provide details of the address to which you intend to move. Your application will be processed from your new address on receipt of evidence of your move (usually a copy of exchange of contracts or rental agreement). If you are already residing at the new address or have evidence to demonstrate the move is taking place, please send the evidence with this application form.

If you are not yet in a position to provide relevant evidence to demonstrate the move, the admission criteria will be applied to your current address.

c) If your child has been permanently excluded from their last school please contact us for advice.

Section 5 - Other details Medical Circumstances – if there are any medical circumstances that support your child’s application, please make sure that they are clearly stated on your application form. The medical condition may be in relation to the child or to one or both parents and medical evidence from a registered healthcare professional must be provided to support the claim. Medical evidence is considered by the Local Authority Review Panel where relevant.

Medical circumstances may only override other criteria if there are places available and will be used in accordance with each school’s admission policy. Some schools may not take medical criteria into account at all. Foundation and voluntary aided schools and academies may give similar consideration to applications made on medical grounds, but you should contact the school if you are in any doubt.

please read these notes carefully before completing your form. Please complete the form using black ink and BLOCK CAPITALS.

continued on page 7

5 Information

Pupil details

Pupil surname

First name

Date of birth _ _ /_ _ / _ _ _ _ Year group Male Female

Current school (or last school attended)

Town and postcode of current school

Is child still attending? Yes No If NO date of last attendance: _ _ /_ _ / 20 _ _

If this child has been known by another name please add it here

Home addressIf this is the first school application you have made from this address you must send in address evidence with this form.

House name or number Street

Post town Postcode

Parental/Carer details

Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms Initial Surname

Relationship to child Home telephone no.

Work telephone no. Mobile telephone no.

Email address

Moving housea. Preferred date of admission _ _ /_ _ / 20 _ _

b. If you are moving into the area: Date of move _ _ /_ _ / 20 _ _

New address if different from section 2:

House name or number Street

Post town Postcode

If you have moved or will be moving please attach copies of proof of address (for example exchange of contracts or rental agreement). Please do not send originals.

c. Has your child ever been permanently excluded from school?

Yes No

Mid-Year Application for a Primary,Infant or Junior School Place

continued on page 7

You should not remove your child from their current school until a place has been secured elsewhere.

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3

Section 4

REF

continued overleaf

Other details

Is your child cared for by a Local Authority or is he/she a previously looked after child? Yes No If yes, which Local Authority?

Please add your social worker's name and contact details here

Does the child have a statement of Special Education Needs? Yes No

Are there any exceptional medical reasons why the child should Yes Nospecifically attend one of your preferred schools?

If yes please attach supporting documentation from a doctor or other health care professional.

Please list your preferred schools below in priority order.You do not have to give reasons for your preferences, but if you do they will be shared with the school. You may wish to state religious or philosophical reasons for wanting a particular school, however in the main any reasons you give should refer to the admissions policy for the school.

Siblings

If you have another child at any of your preferred schools, please enter their details below (if you have more than one child at the same school please give details of the one closest in age).

Name Date of birth _ _ /_ _ / _ _ _ _

School Attending

Other information, e.g. reason for change of school

Declaration

I have read the notes of guidance for the completion of this form. I confirm that the information I have given is true and that I have parental responsibility for this child.

Signed Date

We will acknowledge receipt of this form by letter. If you do not receive this within 10 working days of sending this form contact School Planning and Admissions on 0845 603 2200.

This form should be returned to: School Planning and Admissions, PO box 4261, Chelmsford CM1 1GSData Protection Act 1998: The personal information collected on this form will be used by Essex County Council for the administration of schools’ admissions. This information will only be shared with schools and other authorities for the purpose of applying their admissions policy. The council may also use this data in connection with the prevention or detection of fraud or other crime. To see any personal information on you or a child for whom you have parental responsibility held by Essex County Council, please contact the Access to Records Team, Schools Children and Families Directorate, PO Box 297, County Hall, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1YS, access.records@essex.gov.uk, 0845 603 7627.

Section 5

Section 7

Section 6

Section 8

Section 9

Preference Preference Town Reasons School:

1st

School:2nd

School:3rd

School:4th

7 Notes of Guidance

Section 6 - School Preferences

Please include in the list all the schools you wish us to consider for your child, in priority order. The Local Authority will use the preference information you supply on this form and co-ordinate the process to determine which school should allocate a place to your child.

Whilst the law gives parents the right to express a preference it does not guarantee a place in a particular school.

Reasons – the law requires admission authorities to consider any reasons you give for your choice of preferred school, but in the main your application will be judged against the admission criteria and other reasons you give cannot generally override this. A box is provided on the form for you to give your reasons, which you may continue on a separate sheet.

Section 7 - Siblings

Please identify if you have another child attending any of your preferred schools or partner junior school. For community and voluntary controlled schools a sibling is defined as a child living in the same family unit, in the same family household and address as a child who attends the preferred school at the time of application and determination and with a reasonable expectation that the sibling will be attending at the time of admission. Biological siblings who attend the preferred school will also be treated as siblings irrespective of their place of residence.

Children residing in the same household as part of an extended family, such as cousins, will not be treated as siblings.

Foundation, voluntary aided schools and Academies may have a different definition of siblings. If you are in any doubt about this you should contact the school directly to check their sibling policy.

Section 8 - Other Information

If you feel there is any other information of which we should be aware, please note it on the application.

Section 9 - Declaration

This form must be signed and dated by a person with parental responsibility for your child confirming that they have read these notes of guidance. Unsigned forms cannot be accepted and will be returned.

Please note the date you return the form. We will acknowledge receipt of this form by letter.If you do not hear from us within 10 working days of sending the form please phone School Planning and Admissions on 0845 603 2200.

| Notes of Guidance continued from page 4

Please return your completed form to:School Planning and Admissions, PO Box 4261, Chelmsford CM1 1GSDO NOT RETURN YOUR COMPLETED FORM TO A SCHOOL.

Published August 2013. Issued by Essex County Council School Service.DS092031

This information is issued by Essex County Council, School Planning and Admissions You can contact us in the following ways:

By email: admissions@essex.gov.uk

Visit our website: www.essex.gov.uk/admissions

By telephone: 0845 603 2200

By post: School Planning and Admissions Schools, Children and FamiliesEssex County CouncilPO Box 4261, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 1GS

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The information contained in this document can be translated, and/or made available in alternative formats, on request.

Published August 2013 DS

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